Engineering:MSC Grandiosa

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Short description: Cruise ship operated by MSC Cruises
MSC Grandiosa
Vertrek MSC GRANDIOSA (49018550362).jpg
MSC Grandiosa near Hook of Holland, 2019
History
Malta
Name: MSC Grandiosa
Owner: MSC Cruises
Operator: MSC Cruises
Port of registry: Valletta,  Malta
Ordered: 1 February 2016[1]
Builder:
  • Chantiers de l’Atlantique
  • (Saint-Nazaire, France)
Yard number: G34[2]
Laid down: July 2018[3]
Launched: 5 January 2019[3]
Sponsored by: Sophia Loren[4]
Christened: 9 November 2019[4]
Acquired: 31 October 2019[5]
In service: 2019–present
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 181,541 GT[6]
Length: 331.43 m (1,087.4 ft)[5]
Beam: 43 m (141 ft)[5]
Height: 65 m (213 ft)[5]
Decks: 19
Speed: 22.3 kn (41.3 km/h; 25.7 mph)[5]
Capacity:
  • 4,842[5] (double occupancy)
  • 6,334[5] (maximum)
Crew: 1,704[5]

MSC Grandiosa is a Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France , she is the first of three Meraviglia Plus-class ships set to operate for the cruise line and is the current flagship of MSC Cruises.[7] She commenced operations on 10 November 2019.[8] At the time of delivery, she was the second largest cruise ship by gross tonnage, behind AIDAnova.

History

Construction and debut

On 1 February 2016, MSC Cruises announced that they had converted their options for two new ships into firm orders, with the new vessels being a part of a sub-class that evolves from the cruise line's original Meraviglia-class platform, dubbed "Meraviglia Plus".[1] Each new vessel was designed to be larger than their older Meraviglia-class sisters, at 181,541 GT, with a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334 guests.[9]

On 15 November 2017, on the day of the ship's steel-cutting ceremony at the STX France shipyard, MSC Cruises announced that the name of the first Meraviglia Plus-class ship would be MSC Grandiosa.[9][10] Her coin ceremony was performed in July 2018 and her float-out occurred six months later, on 5 January 2019.[3][11] She successfully completed her sea trials in September 2019.[12] MSC Grandiosa was delivered to MSC Cruises in a ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard on 31 October 2019.[13] Following her delivery, MSC Grandiosa sailed her first voyage from the shipyard to Hamburg for press events and her christening,[14] with calls in Rotterdam[15] and Le Havre.[16]

On 9 November 2019, the ship was christened in a ceremony by her godmother, Sophia Loren, whilst being moored in the river Elbe.[4] The ship later returned to her dock at the Port of Hamburg before embarking on her inaugural cruise the following day, on 10 November 2019.[4] Her inaugural cruise set sail on 10 November 2019 from Hamburg to Genoa via Southampton, Barcelona, and Marseille, and was also hampered by a storm that forced the cancellation of Lisbon.[17][18]

Operational career

Beginning on 23 November 2019, MSC Grandiosa began sailing weekly Mediterranean itineraries for her inaugural season, calling in Genoa, Rome, Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona, and Marseille.[19][17] On 30 December 2019, at the Port of Palermo, the ship struck the Vittorio Veneto pier with her stern on the port side when maneuvering to dock.[20] Minor damage was reported on her stern and the pier, but no injuries were reported, and the ship left for Valletta later that day.[20]

MSC Grandiosa was originally expected to continue sailing in the Mediterranean until repositioning to Santos, Brazil in autumn 2020 to begin cruising in South America for the 2020–2021 season, which would have made her the largest passenger ship to ever homeport in South America.[21] However, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced MSC to reduce its operations and redeploy its fleet, MSC Grandiosa was ultimately scheduled to continue sailing Mediterranean cruises through 2021.[22] On 16 August 2020, she also became MSC's first ship to resume operations amid the pandemic, and the first major cruise ship overall to restart operations in the Mediterranean since the cessation of cruises earlier in the year.[23][24]

Design and specifications

MSC Grandiosa measures 181,541 GT[6] and houses 2,421 passenger cabins for a total guest capacity of 6,334 passengers.[5] The ship also employs 1,704 crew members.[5] She has a length of 331.43 metres (1,087.4 ft), a beam of 43 metres (141 ft), a height of 65 metres (213 ft), and a maximum speed of 22.3 knots (41.3 km/h; 25.7 mph).[5] She is also MSC's first cruise ship to be equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce the ship's nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces her sulfur emissions by 97 percent.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Stieghorst, Tom (1 February 2016). "MSC confirms $1.7B order for Meraviglia Plus ships: Travel Weekly" (in en). https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MSC-confirms-order-for-Meraviglia-Plus-ships. 
  2. Groizeleau, Vincent (5 May 2020). "Chantiers de l'Atlantique: delivery of MSC Virtuosa postponed by several months". Mer et Marine. https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/saint-nazaire-la-livraison-du-msc-virtuosa-repoussee-de-plusieurs-mois?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1589151435. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Coming in 2019: MSC Grandiosa, the first Meraviglia Plus Generation ship". https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Newsletter/Grandiosa-Meraviglia-Plus.aspx. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "MSC Cruises Unveils Four Nights of Grand Celebrations for the Hamburg Christening of MSC Grandiosa" (Press release). MSC Cruises. 9 October 2019. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 "Corporate Information & Media Room". MSC Corporate Information & Media Room (Press release). MSC Crociere, S.A. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "MSC Grandiosa (9803613)". Lloyd's Register. https://classdirect.lr.org/lros?lrno=9803613. 
  7. "New Video Tour Highlights MSC Grandiosa" (in en-gb). 31 July 2019. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21319-new-video-tour-highlights-msc-grandiosa.html. 
  8. Peters, Gary (10 October 2018). "Sales open for MSC Grandiosa" (in en-GB). https://www.cruisetradenews.com/sales-open-for-msc-grandiosa/. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Bond, Mary (15 November 2017). "MSC Cruises reveals name of first Meraviglia-Plus ship, lays keel for Bellissima". https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/msc-cruises-reveals-name-of-first-meraviglia-plus-ship-lays-keel-for-bellissima/. 
  10. Kosciolek, Ashley (15 November 2017). "MSC Cruises Cuts Steel for First Meraviglia Plus-class Ship, MSC Grandiosa; Coin Ceremony Held for MSC Bellissima" (in en-us). https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8214. 
  11. "MSC Celebrates Float Out of Grandiosa" (in en). 7 January 2019. https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-celebrates-float-out-grandiosa. 
  12. "MSC Grandiosa Completes Sea Trials" (in en-gb). 2 September 2019. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21452-msc-grandiosa-completes-sea-trials.html. 
  13. "MSC Grandiosa Delivered" (in en-gb). 31 October 2019. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21839-msc-grandiosa-delivered.html. 
  14. Baratti, Laurie (27 September 2019). "MSC Cruises Reveals Details of the Grandest Launch for MSC Grandiosa". https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/msc-cruises-reveals-details-of-the-grandest-launch-for-msc-grandiosa.html. 
  15. "MSC Grandiosa Makes Maiden Call in Rotterdam" (in en-gb). 4 November 2019. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21851-msc-grandiosa-makes-maiden-call-in-rotterdam.html. 
  16. "MSC Grandiosa Calls in Le Havre" (in en-gb). 2 November 2019. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21850-msc-grandiosa-calls-in-le-havre.html. 
  17. 17.0 17.1 "MSC Grandiosa's Maiden Voyage Now Open for Booking" (in en). 10 October 2018. https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/msc-grandiosa-s-maiden-voyage-now-open-for-sale. 
  18. Coulter, Adam (12 November 2019). "MSC Grandiosa Inaugural Voyage Delayed Due to Bay of Biscay Storm, Two Ports Skipped" (in en-us). https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4749/. 
  19. "MSC Grandiosa To Introduce New Smart Features To "MSC for Me"" (Press release). PR Newswire. 13 June 2019. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Thakkar, Emrys (30 December 2019). "New Mega 181,000-ton Cruise Ship Strikes Pier". https://www.cruisehive.com/new-mega-181000-ton-cruise-ship-strikes-pier/36608. 
  21. Mathisen, Monty (10 September 2019). "MSC Grandiosa to South America for 2020-2021" (in en-gb). https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/21499-msc-grandiosa-to-south-america-for-2020-2021.html. 
  22. "MSC Announces Winter Program; New Protocols Onboard". Cruise Industry News. 22 June 2020. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23126-msc-announces-winter-program-new-protocols-onboard.html. 
  23. "MSC Grandiosa: First Mediterranean cruise launches after five-month pause" (in en-GB). BBC News. 16 August 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53802045. 
  24. Peruzzi, Luca (17 August 2020). "MSC Grandiosa departs Genoa, signalling return of big ship cruising in the Med". Seatrade Cruise News. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/msc-grandiosa-departs-genoa-signalling-return-big-ship-cruising-med.